


Still with the Saving People Thing

by torino10154



Series: Adventdrabbles 2014 [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Community: hp_goldenage, Drunkenness, Ficlet, Gen, Gen Work, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-28 16:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2738912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torino10154/pseuds/torino10154
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompts were drunk Santa and danger.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Still with the Saving People Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts were drunk Santa and danger.

On a night as cold as it was, Harry probably should have Apparated home from the Ministry Christmas party. He hated using the communal Floos, partly because there was no doubt someone would get sick after all the drinking that went on but partly because he'd never quite mastered the arrival. 

Yes, Head Auror Harry Potter still couldn't travel by Floo properly. 

The cool night air and brisk walk would do him good, though. He, too, had indulged in perhaps more alcohol than was strictly necessary.

Harry had walked home from the Ministry hundreds of times over the years. It cleared his head or helped him work through details of a case. There were several different routes he took, depending on whether he needed more time with his thoughts or not.

Tonight he decided a shortcut was in order and ducked through the alley two blocks from home. 

Just as he was about to walk past a skip overflowing with rubbish, Harry heard a loud moan. 

Wand in his hand, he looked more closely and first saw a boot, then a bare leg, then a strategically placed Santa hat. Eyes travelling up the bare chest, Harry then saw a white beard coming loose from the man's face.

Harry sighed, cast a warming charm, and tapped the man's foot with his shoe. "Up you get, Greg."

Bleary eyes blinked at him and a bottle of Firewhisky slipped from his hand. It would have spilled had there been anything left in it. 

"Can't move," he said, eyes falling closed again.

"You'll freeze to death if you don't get inside."

Greg barked a laugh and Harry could hear the pain in his voice when he said, "Opposite of Vince."

"That was a long time ago." Harry said the words but he could still remember it clearly himself. He closed his eyes for a moment, then said, "You're in danger here, Greg. I don't want to arrest you just to get you warmed up."

"What's it to you?" Greg pushed himself up from the ground and grabbed his head. "Bloody hell."

"Come on." Harry leaned down and grabbed Greg's arm, helping him to stand. Unfortunately, Greg lost his balance and crashed against the skip, his Santa hat falling to the ground.

 _I've been in worse situations_ , Harry reminded himself, then pointed his wand at the hat, Transfiguring it into a cloak. He wrapped it around Greg's shoulders pleased to see his fingers weren't frostbitten. 

"You still live in Southwark Estates?"

"How'd you know that?" Greg turned his head and really looked at him, the alcohol seeming to come off him in waves. "Potter?"

"Yeah." Harry gave a small shrug. "Let's get you home."

"All right."

Harry nodded and grabbed Greg's arm then Apparated them both to Greg's building.

Greg shivered and pulled the cloak tighter around him. "Still with the saving people thing," he muttered under his breath as he walked slowly to the door. "Christ."

"You're welcome, Greg," Harry said, smiling. "Happy Christmas."


End file.
